Action ordered for e-rickshaws sans papers

By Our Correspondent

Agartala, 28 Mar, 2017 :: The High Court of Tripura today passed a judgment directing Joint Transport Commissioner to form a committee under his leadership and take action against the battery-operated e-rickshaws having no valid registration.

Justice Subhasis Talapatra of the High Court of Tripura passed the judgment based on two separate writ petitions filed by Kaniska Sinha and his wife Dipika Das (Sinha).

According to the writ petitions, the e-rickshaws (Tomtom) were running on the road illegally. After accepting the writ petitions, the High Court of Tripura had issued notices to the state government and Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC).

In its reply, the state government informed the court that the battery-operated e-rickshaws were included in the amendment of Motor Vehicles Act in 2015 and subsequently a notification was issued. The High Court of Tripura conducted hearing on the two writ petitions yesterday and today.

According to Advocate Kishor Paul, who moved the case in favour of AMC, the High Court of Tripura observed that though the state government issued a notification for proper registration of e-rickshaws as per amended Motor Vehicles Act, it was not put in effect.

As per the amended Motor Vehicles Act, the battery-operated e-rickshaws required proper registration, insurance, fitness certificate and other documents to ply on road. But, the e-rickshaws running in state have no valid registration.

As a result, the High Court of Tripura in its judgment today directed the Joint Transport Commissioner to form a committee under his leadership and take action the e-rickshaws running illegally on the road.